Sprocket gets new mods

[oznogonzo]

It's been a busy day for little Sprocket...

First thing this morning he tries on his new shoes!
http://www.tarheelminis.org/gallery/data/500/medium/Sprocket005.jpg
17x7 O.Z. Record MGS fitted with 215/45ZR-17 Kumho ECSTA ASX and McGard locking wheel nut set...

Then he gets a nice set of new tails with the chrome trim blacked out!
http://www.tarheelminis.org/gallery/data/500/medium/Sprocket008.jpg
Modified 2002 MINI Cooper S taillights cracked open and painted...

And to finish up he gets his grilles blacked out...
http://www.tarheelminis.org/gallery/data/500/medium/Sprocket002.jpg
Trimbrite 1 3/8" blackout tape...

I think he is happy now!

[TWISTER]

Great looking mods, very well executed!

[Vango]

Nice real nice!!!!!

[MidnightDave]

Exxxxxcellent!

Now you're ready to join us for the track day on the 10th! ;-)

[HPUdrew]

Very nice! I love the new look. Add in some window tint and a drop and that MINI will look killer. ;-)

Drew

[oznogonzo]

Thanks all. Definately more to come.


Very nice! I love the new look. Add in some window tint and a drop and that MINI will look killer. ;-)

Drew

I'm thinking about having the tint done next actually. I would love to drop the car a bit, but I'm not entirely certain it would clear my 70 year old dirt driveway with huge humps in the middle. I have taken to driving off center on the path now just in case lol.

[minimark]

A big thumbs up!!!

[simplygriff]

The taillights are killer! Did you do those yourself?
-G

[oznogonzo]

The taillights are killer! Did you do those yourself?
-G

Yep...

I got both right & left tails from an ebay sale for 30 bucks. They were takeoffs from a 2002 MCS, practically new. (great deal!)

Cracked them open (A dremel tool would help tons)...

Masked off the red/amber lens.

Scruffed up the chrome with fine grit sandpaper.

Painted chrome with Krylon textured matte black spray for plastic.

Resealed with Black RVT Silicone around outer clear lens.

Let dry 48 hours.

Added 2nd coat of Black RVT to ensure no little holes in seal.

Let dry 48 hours.

Even though I got the bulb plate (bulb holder) with the ebay sale, I used my original ones, which just snap in.

It's a fairly easy mod. The hardest part for me was masking the lens before painting. I actually had to do this 2 times, remasking between paint coats because in a few places I masked a bit of the chrome. After the 2nd coat of paint there were a couple small spots I touched up with a toothpick and a bit of the paint. The texture of the paint hides these small areas quite well.

Early model tails seperate into 4 pieces, the housing, the red/amber lens, the chrome trim, and the clear lens. I didnt try to seperate mine further, but you should be able to isolate that whole chrome trim bit and paint it without having to mask. The whole unit is plastic hot welded though, so seperating these may be a major pain.

I got this idea from bintliff25. I think there are pics of his in his gallery.

[simplygriff]

Well done!!!http://www.motoringunderground.com/images/smiles001/clapping.gif

Let me know if you tackle the head lights. :D
-G

[oznogonzo]

Coming up on my MINI 1 year anniversary (purchased Sprocket 9-21-2006) so I decided the little fella needed a few more mods.

Picked up a beltline blackout kit from outmotoring.com and installed in just over an hour. I also got the windows tinted back in March, but I don't think I posted anyting about it, so here is the new look...

http://www.tarheelminis.org/gallery/data/500/Sprocket0031.jpg

http://www.tarheelminis.org/gallery/data/500/Sprocket0021.jpg

Also got rid of the RC antenna and added an Outmotoring stubby antenna...

http://www.tarheelminis.org/gallery/data/500/Sprocket0041.jpg

And Union Jacks for the valve stem caps!

http://www.tarheelminis.org/gallery/data/500/Sprocket0051.jpg

Continued next post....

[oznogonzo]

Went to Ace Hardware and picked up plastic gutter guard mesh and added a scoop grille. Easy little mod only took about 30 minutes, and only cost $4 (I have enough material to do about 30 more cars hehe.

http://www.tarheelminis.org/gallery/data/500/Sprocket0061.jpg

I also put on my personalised License plate too... pics of that in another thread hehe.

I have the following items to install as well...

Upper & middle Aero Grilles to do a stock -> areo grille conversion
Nology coolwires
Outmotoring badge holder
NKG iridium plugs
JCW carbon fiber spoiler

I have these on order...

JCW carbon fiber mirror caps
JCW carbon fiber scoop
JCW carbon fiber license plinthe

busy, busy busy :D

[TWISTER]

I can help do your lower aero grille on mod day if you want. I've done 4 of them

[MidnightDave]

I just saw your car in person and it's looking really good, the wheels are spot on for that color...

I came up with this years ago, what did the vice cop say after searching the container?

POTNOTONTOP

Mark, if oznogonzo does his own grill, you can do mine after the stripes and auto up. ;-)